Published Works

Maggie Van Ostrand's columns and articles cover more topics than Washington has lobbyists. Each is listed below, with a descriptive blurb. We don't know what a blurb is, but Maggie thinks they may be useful here.

The Unsung Mexican Heroes Of WWII -- Cover story --
Until yesterday, I had never heard of Charlie Foster. Today, I'm writing about him. One of the benefits of being a writer is the fact-checking, because you can end up with provocative information. That's how I found out about Charlie Foster.

An Open Letter to Sigmund Freud
"What does a woman want?" wondered Freud. Some say men and women should live on different continents and procreate by getting together once a year in a neutral country like, say, Switzerland. However, Sigmund, I think you men still have hope, so I'm gonna tell you what we used to want, how we wrested much of it from you, and what we want today, in the 21st Century.

Nine Steps To A Happy Life In Mexico
Moving to Mexico isn't a matter of simply relocating to another country with your belongings. No indeedy. Of the many things you might expect to find south of the border, the most important can be Recovery from Cultural Shock. This generally takes three to six months, and constant vigilance is imperative if you wish to survive to enjoy your new life.

Accommodations To Die For
A report has been circulating in the newspapers about the crushing lack of space in Mexico City's public cemeteries. The solution currently being employed is to dig up the deceased after seven years to make room for newer tenants. It is estimated that a million and a half people (presumably dead) now occupy what are called "temporary graves."

Meant For Each Other: A Love Story
With Lake Chapala’s acceptance by Living Lakes of the World as a candidate for revitalization, the superhuman efforts of Aurora Michel, Sociedad Amigos del Lago De Chapala, and the many dedicated individuals who continually donate their time and money, have at last been rewarded.

Mextra-Sensory Perceptions
Someone was playing a Spanish radio station full blast in the car next to mine as we stopped at a red light in Hollywood, California. The cacophony of Mariachi brass, not a shy sound, bombarded my ears with alacrity. Before I knew it, there I was, not at Sunset and Vine waiting for the light to change in the year 2003, but back in Ajijic eight years ago.

Josefina, a Woman of Mexico
Living in New York and Los Angeles, while good for one’s metabolism, is not that great for one’s patience. Who has time to stop and smell the roses? Who stops? Who smells? What roses?

Mrs. Baldwin of Missouri Teaches All About Mexico
When sixth-grade teacher, Dorothy Baldwin, sent an email asking for permission to use my story, “The Day I Photographed Josefina’s family,” in a class project about Mexico, I said yes, and requested only that she forward the result for my files.

There's Something About Mexico
A Mayan myth, as recorded by Alfonso Villa R. in Quintana Roo and recently reported to me, tells us that God created a number of human couples, each with the racial characteristics of the group to which he was assigned. God “formed a Chinese, a Negro, and a Maya couple, and granted each one the portion of the earth in which they were to reproduce their kind and establish their rule.